Boat propelling means



W. O. HANSON BOAT PROPELLING MEANS May 9, 1950 Filed Jan. 2, 1948 '0 u BY l VENTOR s9wsm ATTORNEY I Patented May 9, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to manual propelling means for small boats and has special reference to a portable unit embodying the invention which may be applied to various types of small boats in much the same manner as outboard motors are employed.

One of the principal objects of the instant invention is to provide a simple, light and practical unit of this type Another object is to provide such a unit in which the direction of propelling thrust is universally optional at all times while being operated so that a boat thus equipped may require no other steering equipment whatever for moving in any direction of navigation.

Still another object is to provide such a device that may most readily be knocked down for transportation and one that will occupy the minimum of space when installed for use, also one that is readily applicable to either gunwales or transom of most any type of common row boat.

Other objects and advantages will appear during the further description of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this application and wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

Fig. l is a top plan view of the chassis of the device.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2-2 Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the oar or propeller.

Fig. 4 is a similar view to that in Fig. 3 but taken at right angles thereto viewing the face of the propeller blade.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of a fragmental portion of the stern of a common row boat with one of my improved motors attached.

The reference numeral l represents the main or body portion of the chassis having a jaw-like inboard portion equipped with the common adjusting screw for selective positioning of the same upon either the transom or gunwale of the boat.

The outboard terminus of the chassis l is of substantially circular form as at 2 and carries rotatably seated therein the oar carrying ringlike turntable 3.

The turntable seat or shelf is permanently covered at its extreme outboard portion by an inwardly projecting flange 4 of the chassis while its inboard opposite portion is temporarily held seated by a suitable pivoted thumb and finger catch 5.

This ring-like turntable has formed within diametrically opposed upper face surfaces thereof bayonet slots as indicated at 6 and into which opposed slots is carried the opposite ends of the pivotal pintle or axle I of the oar handle 8.

The blade 9 of the oar is made preferably of substantial material such as metal or the like and is pivotally carried at its upper end as by the pin Ill. The upper end of the blade 9 has integral therewith a ring-like extension having opposed two sides I Il I thereof bent at substantially right angles to the blade soasto formameans for pivotal connection of the blade to the handle. The upper portion 12 of the ring-like extension forms a bridle whereby the pivotal movement of the blade is limited to only one side of the plane of the handle 8, the opening in the extension permitting of the pivoting of the blade without interference from the end of the handle.

If desired the lower portion of the handle 8 may be reenforced as by a metal sleeve indicated at l3.

In operation the chassis is clamped to, preferably, the transom of a boat and the oar is mounted with the ends of its pintle 1 within the slots 6 with the bridle l2 facing the direction of travel. To propel the boat merely requires a push-pull action to be applied to the upper end of the handle, the pull action imparts forward motion to the boat due to the position of the bridle preventing its pivoting thereby the force of the blade against the water moves the boat.

The backward push on the upper end of the handle results in the blade of the oar pivoting upwardly and trailing loosely behind the lower end of the handle until the push is stopped and a new pull action begun. The blade then is moved back into alinement with the handle and again forward motion is imparted to the boat.

While the turntable or ring 3 has been shown and described as having its bayonet slots 6 uppermost, it is deemed apparent that; by turning said ring 3 up-side-down, mounting said oar pintle 1 intermediate of the seat of the chassis and the ring, and then looking same by means of the catch 5; the oar will be firmly held against removal as long as desired.

Having thusdescribed my invention, what I claim is:

As a new article of manufacture, propelling means for a boat comprising a chassis adapted to be secured to said boat, a portion of said chassis being adapted to extend outboard of said boat, said outboard portion comprising a substantially circular member having an opening therethrough and an enlarged seat formed conoentric with said opening and on the upper side of said outboard portion, a flange covering a portion of said seat at the outermost end of said outboard portion, a turntable rotatably carried on said seat and extending under said flange, a catch opposite said flange to selectively lock said turntable in its seat, and bayonet slots in opposite sides of said turntable, and an oar vertically swingably carried by saidloutboard portion, saidoar comprising a handle, a pivotaxle extending through said handle and protruding on opposite sides thereof into said bayonet slots v to support said oar on said turntable and outboard portion, and a blade pivotally-earried ad jacent the lower end of said handlevand having means to limit the pivotal movement of said blade to one side only of saidhan'clle.

WILLIAM 0. HANSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

5 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 208,952 Boisset Oct. 15, 1878 502,061 Ambler July 25, 1893 339559? Johnson 3960.325, 1906 =-a49;533 Dziedzic Apr. 9, 1907 1,197,239 Sinclair Sept. 5, 1916 2,424,605 Edmonson July 29, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 15 Number Country Date 576,189 France May 8, 1924 

